Self-loading vehicle



July 20, 1937.

E. c. LEACH El AL 2,087,348 SELF LOADING VEHICLE Filed June 29, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ewe/275%: iyberfflyzcfz,

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s LQADING, VEHICLE Filed June 29, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 is a E" Eric /,/u g QMMQQQ WW K aw July 20, 1937. E. c. LEACH Er AL 2,087,348

SELF LOADING VEHICLE Filed June 29, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 1H1 tic 83 1/ 172116 July 20, 1937. E. c. LEACH ET AL 2,087,343

SELF LOADING VEHICLE Filed June 29, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 July 20, 1937. E. c. LEACH ET AL 2,087,348

SELF LOADING VEHICLE 7 Filed June 29, 1934 e shee'is-sheet s f I9. 141. L 1

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July 20, 1937. E. c. LEACH Er AL 2,087,348

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Patented July 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,087,348 SELF-LOADING VEHICLE Application June 29, 1934, Serial No. 733,104

13 Claims.

The object of this invention is to provide a selfloading vehicle of improved construction and operation for use in the collection of garbage, ashes, rubbish, and other material.

The improved vehicle expedites collection service by relieving the collectors of much of the hard work which is ordinarily considered unavoidable, it enables the garbage or other material being collected to be handled in a strictly sanitary manner, it is neat, compact and attractive in appearance, and it is easy for even an inexperienced laborer to operate. The controls used in dumping the bucket and in emptying the body are simple and foolproof, and the dumping and return of the loading bucket is accomplished automatically and without any waste of time.

While the foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention, other more specific objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction, arrangement and operation of this new unit.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the self-loading unit which forms the subject matter of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the unit, with but half of the same shown;

Fig. 3 is a rear end view of the unit, likewise with but half of the same shown;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the unit at the location of one of the bucket supporting arms;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the control mechanisms beneath the body, with the liquid circulating pipes removed for clearness;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the unit, showing the bucket in its raised position and showing the body in full lines in its receiving position and in dotted lines in its dumping position;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the mechanism employed for locking and unlocking the dumping door on the body;

Fig. 8 is a rear view of portions of the same mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a side view of the controls used in operating the bucket and also the body;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the hydraulic cylinder used in hoisting the body;

Fig. 11 is a. longitudinal section through the cylinder;

Fig. 12 is an end view of the cylinder;

Fig. 13 is a section through the same end of the cylinder, taken on the irregular line Iii-I3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a plan view oi the liquid circulating system, with the power transmitting mechanisms removed for clearness;

Fig. 15 is a side view of the connections for the bucket operating cylinder;

Fig. 16 is another side view of the connections for the same cylinder, from the opposite side;

Fig. 17 is a section through the bucket controlling valve;

Fig. 18 is a section through the upper portion only of the bucket controlling valve, at the location of the line I8I8 on Fig. 17; and

Fig. 19 is a section through the main control valve.

The unit which is shown in the drawings includes a large tank-like body I 0 which is mounted on the chassis II of a motor truck I2. The garbage or other material to be collected is emptied from the individual containers into a troughlike bucket I3 which is positioned close to the ground at the rear end of the body. After the bucket I3 has been filled it is elevated to the top of the body I 0 and dumped into the latter through an opening which is normally closed by adoor Il. After the body III has been loaded to capacity in this way the vehicle is driven to any suitable point of disposal, where the body is tilted rearwardly on the chassis II, about the axis of a shaft I5 to which the body is pivotally attached, and the contents discharged through a rear opening which is normally closed by a door I6. I

The body I0 is completely enclosed. The front and side walls of the body extend straight up and down, while the top and rear walls are curved and are merged together in a single arcuate surface I 1. The loading door I 4 is hinged to the body at I 8 and is provided at its ends with downwardly extending plates I9, which plates fit against the sides of the body when the door is shut and serve to close 011 the otherwise exposed gaps at the ends of the door when the latter is open. The

discharging door I6 is hinged to the body at 20 and is normally held shut and tightly sealed by a latching device 2 I.

The bucket I3 is pivotally supported at its ends on arms 22 which are adapted to travel along curved guide rails 23 on antifriction rollers 24 journaled on the arms. The rails 23 are located on the curved edges of the sides of the body and project somewhat beyond the same, being slotted at the ends of the door I 4 to receive the end closure plates I9. As the bucket I 3, with the arms 22, approaches the closed door I 4, the most advanced rollers 24 on the arms engage with curved edges 25 on the plates I9 and cam the door upwardly into its open position. Just before the bucket I3 reaches the location of the door l4. handles 28 on the bucket engage with hooks 21 on the ends of downwardly yielding spring fingers 28 attached to the body and cause the bucket as it continues its forward movement to rotate on its trunnions 28 into an inverted position in register with the opening exposed by the raised door l4, thereby allowing the bucket to dump its contents into the body, with the lip of the bucket pro- Jecting down through the opening, and with the ends of the bucket shielded by the overlapping end plates l8 on the door.

The bucket i3 is raised and lowered by means of endless chains 38 which are trained over sprockets 3| and 32 at opposite sides of the body. The lower sprockets 3| are secured to the shaft l5 on which the body is hinged, while the upper sprockets 32 are merely idlers. The chains are caused to travel in arcuate paths concentric with the rails 23 by suitable guides 33, and are enclosed for the most part within guards 34. The chains-which move in one direction when the bucket is being raised and which move in the opposite direction when the bucket is being lowered-are connected to coupling links 35. The shaft I5 and the lower sprockets 3| are rotated first in one direction and then in the other by hydraulic power transmitting means which will next be described.

front end of the body The power used in the operation of the unit is obtained from the motor of the truck through a power take-off shaft 38 (see Fig. 5). The shaft 38 drives a rotary pump 31, which pump circulates the oil or other liquid used through the system. The hydraulic system includes two travelers. the other is used in hoisting the body.

The oil under pressure is delivered by the pump 31 to a main control valve 38 (see Figs. 14 and 19) which valve has three positions. In its neutral position (which is the position illustrated in Fig. 19) it allows the oil which is coming from the pump under pressure through the port 38 to be by-passed back to a port 48 from which it is returned directly to the intake of the pump for recirculation. When the stem 4| of the valve 38 is shifted rearwardly, the by-passing port 48 will be cut off and the oil under pressure will be directed to a port 42 which is connected by a pipe 43 to a valve 44 (see Figs. 14 and 1'7). The valve 44 is employed to control the flow of oil into and out of the opposite ends of a hydraulic cylinder 45 which is used in elevating the bucket i3. When the stem 4| of the valve 38 is shifted forwardly as far as it will go, the flow of oil to the bucket valve 44 will be shut off and the flow will be diverted instead to a'port 48 in the valve 38, which port is connected by a pipe 41 to one end of a hydraulic cylinder 48 which is used in tilting up the body l8. 7

The pump 31, the valves 38 and 44, and the cylinders 45 and 48, are all rigidly mounted on the chassis II. The main control valve 38 is operated from a rock shaft 50 (see Fig. 5) which is journaled crosswise on the chassis beneath the Hi; The shaft 58 is coupled with the stem 4| of the valve by a long rod 5|. The rear end of the rod 5| is pivoted to the free end of a short lever 52 which is fulcrumed on the casing of the valve at 53 and pivoted to the stem 4| at 54, and the front end of the rod 5| is pivoted I to the lower free end of an arm 55 which is secured to the shaft 58. A crank-shaped handle 58 is provided on one end of the shaft 58 for rocking the same. when the handle 58 is straight up.

shown in Fig. 5). oil under pressure .the arms 22 by rigid One is used in elevating the bucket, while l the valve 38 is in its neutral position; when the handle is swung forwardly (which isthe position will be directed by the valve 38 to the valve 44 which is used in controlling the bucket l3; and when the handle is swung rearwardly, the oil will be directed to the cylinder 48 which is used in tiltinfl up the body II.

The bucket valve 44 receives the oil under pressure at a port 51 .(see Fig. 1'1) from the pipe 43 and directs the oil either to a port 58 or to a port 58, depending upon the position in which the stem 8| of the valve is placed. The port 58 is connected by a pipe 82 (see Fig. 14) with the front end of the cylinder 45, while the port 58 is connected by a pipe 83 with the rear end of the same cylinder. When the port 58 is in communication with the inlet port 51, the port 58 will be in communication with an outlet port 84, which outlet port is connected by a pipe 85 with the port 48 in the valve 38 which returns the oil to the pump 31 for recirculation, and, conversely, when the port 58 is in communication with the inlet port 51, the port 58 will be in communication with the outlet port 84, through a special flow-restricting device which will later be described.

when the oil is directe'l by the valve 44 into the front end of the cylinder 45, a piston 88 (see Fig. 15) on a rod 81 in the cylinder will move rearwardly with the rod, causing a double rack 88 which is secured to the rear end of the rod (see Fig. 5) to rotate pinions 88 which are secured to a shaft 1|. The shaft 1|, which is journaled on the rear end of the cylinder 45 above the rod 81, carries a sprocket wheel 12 which is connected by a chain 13 with another sprocket wheel 14 on the previously mentioned shaft l5. When the piston 88 moves rearwardly the shaft |5 will be rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 and the bucket l3 will move upwardly and forwardly in an arc to its dumping position. As the front end of the cylinder 45 is filling with oil, the oil in the rear end thereof will be displaced and will return freely through the pipe 83 to the exhaust port 84 in the valve 44, from which point it will return to the pump 31 through the main control valve 38. Similarly, when the oil is directed by the valve 44 to the rear end of the cylinder 45. the piston 88 will move forwardly, allowing the bucket l3 to return to its lowermost position again.

To operate the'valve 44 to cause the loading bucket l3 to start its upward movement, the attendant merely pulls on a knob 15 on the end of a rod 18 (see Fig. 5) ,which rod is slidably mounted in a tubular guideway 11 carried by the chassis. The outward movement of the rod 18 will oscillate a bell crank lever 18 to which the rod is pivotally attached, and the lever 18 will in turn shift a rod 18 forwardly. The rod 18, which is pivotally attached at its rear end to the bell crank lever and is supported in a horizontal position by an antifriction roller 8|, is coupled to another'rod 82 which projects forwardly beyond the rod 18 as an extension of the latter. The rod 18. the bell crank lever 18, and the rods 18 and 82 occupy at all times the positions shown in Fig. 5 except when displaced momentarily by the operator in pulling out on the knob 15 to start the bucket, a spring shoulder 84 on the extension rod 82 will engage with a collar 85 which is slidably mounted on that rod and will shift the collar forwardly, thereby swinging a lever 86 on the collar into the position shown in Figs. and 17. The lever 86 is fu crumed on the casing of the valve 44 at,8'I and is pivotally connected to the stem 6| of the valve at 88. Consequently, when the knob is pulled by the attendant the valve 44 will be moved into the position shown in Fig. 17, in which position it will direct the oil to the front end of the cylinder 45 and the bucket will commence to move upwardly. As soon as the lever 86 assumes the position shown in Fig. 17 a pivotally mounted latching dog 89 on the lever will move under the action of a spring 9I into'latched engagement with a keeper 92 on the casing of the valve, thereby locking the valve stem H in the position shown in Fig. 17 against the resistance of a compressed return spring 93 on the stem. The attendant may release the knob 15 as soon as he has operated the valve 44 in this manner, whereupon the extension rod 82 with the abutment 84 thereon will shift rearwardly away from the collar 85 without disturbing the setting of the lever 86.

As soon as the bucket l3 reaches the upper end of its travel and assumes its inverted dumping position behind the raised door I4, an abutment 94 on the yoke 95 which connects the rack sections 68 (see Fig. 5) will move into engagement with a stop 96 on the rear end of a trip rod 91. When this engagement occurs the front end of the rod 91, which is pivoted at 98 to a small plate 99 which is in turn pivoted at IM to the lever 86 on the valve 44, will engage with a shoulder I02 on the latch 89 and will swing the latter out of engagement with the keeper 92, thereby releasing the lever 86 and allowing the stem 6I of the valve 44 to shift into its rearmost position under the action of the spring 93. When the valve stem 6| reaches its rearmost position the flow of oil through the valve 4| will be changed and the oil under pressure will be diverted to the rear end of the cylinder 45, causing the bucket I3 to right itself and move downwardly again. As the bucket in moving downwardly approaches its lowermost position a stop I03 (see Figs. 5 and 9) on the front end of one of the rack sections 68 will engage with the rear end of a rod I04 which is pivotally connected at its front end to a downwardly extending arm I05 on the rock shaft 50. As the bucket reaches its lowermost position the stop I03 will move the rod I04 endwise and rock the shaft 50 back into its neutral position again, thereby shutting off the flow of oil to the bucket controlling valve 44 and bringing the bucket to rest.

At the time that the attendant pulls on the knob 75 to cause the bucket to start moving upwardly the rock shaft 50 will be automatically turned into the position wherein the oil is directed to the bucket controlling valve by a spring I06 on the rod 82, which spring is positioned between an enlargement I01 on the rod and ear I 08 on the outer end of an upstanding arm I09 on the shaft 50. As the extension rod 82 moves forwardly the resistance of the spring I06 will rock the shaft 50 to the desired extent. At the same time that this takes place the rear end of the previously mentioned rod I04 will be automatically lifted out from in front of the stop I03 by a roller III on a bracket II'2 on the rod 82, which roller will ride under and elevate a cam II3 on the rod I04.

When the bucket I3 is inits lowermost position a locking rod II4 will prevent the shaft 50 from being rocked into a position where it will tilt up the body. This is'desirable because the bucket I3 must be raised at least far enough to clear the door I6 before the body I0 can be tilted and dumped. The rod H4 is pivoted at its front end to the arm I09 on the shaft 50 and is disposed with its rear end in register with the stop I03 on the rack 68. Since the stop I03 is positioned in close proximity to the rear end of the rod II4 when the bucket is in its lowermost position, the rod will abut with the stop and prevent the shaft 50 from being rocked into its body-hoisting position until after the bucket has been raised.

Likewise, when the body I0 is in its tilted-up dumping position the attendant cannot make the mistake of running the bucket I3, .due to the provision of a latching member II5 which is pivoted at I to the chassis. When the body is raised, the front end of the member II5 will drop down over a hook II6 on the rod H4 and will prevent the rod and consequently the shaft 50 from being moved into bucket-operating position, while when the body is lowered, a stud II! on the bot tom of the body will engage with the other end of the member H5 and will automatically tilt the same out of the path of movement of the hook II6.

When the bucket I3 turns over in dumping it remains inverted long enough to become completely emptied, due to the provision of a special retarding valve II8 (see Fig. 18) within the bucket valve 44. This retarding valve is located in a chamber II9 tween the port 58 and the pipe 62 leading to the front end of the cylinder 45. As long as the oil is flowing from the port 58 into the pipe 62 the pressure of the oil will keep the valve II8 unseated against the action of a spring I2I and allow a full flow of the oil, but when the oil is flowing in the opposite directionwhich takes place during the lowering of the bucket-the valve II8 will seat and the 'oil returning through the pipe 62 will be required to pass down through a small duct I22 in ing the port 58. The duct I22 is closed at other times by a small spring-pressed valve I23. As the oil under pressure from the pump cannot enter the rear end of the cylinder 45 any faster than the oil is permitted to leave the frontend past the retarding valve I I8, the rate of flow into and out of the ends of the cylinder is materially slowed down during the return movement of the bucket. The excess of oil delivered by the pump is permitted by a spring-pressed relief valve I24 (see Fig. 17) to pass directly from the port 51 to the port 64 through a connecting duct I25 in the valve 44.

In tilting up the body I0 in order to dump the same, the oil under pressure flows from the main control valve 38 through the pipe 41 to the front end of the cylinder 48, where it enters through a port I26 (see Fig. 11) and acts on a piston I21 in the cylinder, forcing the piston rearwardly. The piston I2! is secured to a piston rod I28 which is hinged at its rear end to the under side of the body I0 by a pivot pin I29. The cylinder 48 is loosely coupled at its front end to the chassis II by an anchor plate I3I. As the piston I2! is forced rearwardly, the piston rod I28 and the cylinder 48 will swing upwardly together, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, forcing the body I0 to assume a. tilted dumping position. During the rearward movement of the piston the oil in the which forms a passageway bethe valve II8 before reachrear end of the cylinder 48 is displaced therefrom and escapes through a conduit I3I (see Fig. 11) which extends lengthwise of the cylinder in the lower wall thereof. The conduit I3I opens at the front end of the cylinder into a small chamber I32 which communicates with a pipe I33. The pipe I33 returns the oil to the valve 38, connecting up with the return pipe 65 from the valve 44 at I34 before reaching the valve 38.

When it is desired to dump the body I6 the attendant takes a short length of chain I35, hooks it onto one of the bucket supporting arms I22 at I36 and onto a small lever I31 (see Fig.8) at I38, and then runs the bucket I3 up in the usual way into its dumping position. As the bucket goes up, the chain I35 will draw taut and rock the lever I31, which lever is pivotally attached at I39 to the lower edge of the door I6, whereupon the other end I of the lever will depress another lever I42 (see Fig. '1) which is secured to a shaft I43 on the chassis. As soon as this occurs, a hook I44, which is pivoted to the lever I42 in a dead center position at I45, will disengage from a keeper I46 on the door and the thusly freed door will move up under the pull of the chain into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6. Another pivoted hook I46, similar to the hook I44, is eccentrically supported from the shaft I43 at the other end of the latter for latching coaction with the other side of the bottom of the door-both hooks releasing at the same time when the chain I35 becomes taut. The hooks I44 and I41 form a part of the previously mentioned latching device 2I.

In order to latch the door I6 again after the body has been lowered and the door closed, it is merely necessary for the attendant to swing a small hand crank I48 rearwardly. The crank I48 is pivotally mounted on the chassis (see Fig. 7) in a convenient location and is provided with an arm I49 which carries a small collar I5I. The collar I5I is slidably mounted on a rod I52 which is pivotally connected at I53 to the lever I42, and when the crank I48 is swung rearwardly the collar will engage with a lug I54 on the rod and will shift the latter in the same direction, causing the hook I44 and also the corresponding hook I41 to swing back into their latched dead-center positions against the yielding resistance offered by a spring I55. The crank I48 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 'I by a small spring I56.

After the door I6 has been opened by attaching the chain I35 and running up the bucket, the body is tilted into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6 by swinging the handle 56 rearwardly. When the body reaches an angle of about 40 or 45, a small trip rod I51 on a valve I56 located in the piston I21 of the hydraulic cylinder 48 will engage with a stop I59 (see Fig. 9) in the rear end of the cylinder and will unseat the valve I58 against the yielding resistance of a spring I6I, thereby allowing the oil which continues to flow under pressure into the front end of the cylinder through the pipe 41 to pass through the piston and return to the system through the conduit BI and the pipe I33. This escape of the excess oil from the front end of the cylinder 48 permits the piston I21 to come to rest and thereafter maintains the body stationary in its fully tilted dumping position. Any air which may accumulate in the rear end of the cylinder 46 as a result of repeated hoisting operations may escape through a relief valve I62.

In order to return the body I6 to its lowered receiving position again, the attendant simply swings the handle 56 'up into its neutral position and pushes on a knob I63 (see Fig. 5) on the end of a conveniently located rod I64. This rod oscillates a bell crank lever I65 to which it is attached, and the lever in turn pulls on a link I66 which rocks a small shaft I61 in the front end of the cylinder 48. Outward movement of the knob I63 is yieidingly resisted by a spring I63 which is attached to the lever I65. When the shaft I61 is rocked by means of the knob I63 a cam I63 on the inner end of the shaft will unseat a spring-pressed valve III in the front end of the cylinder 48 and will allow the oil trapped in the front end of the cylinder to flow back through the return pipe I33. As the oil flows back, a heavy spring connection I13 (see Fig. 5) between the body and the chassis will draw the body down into a position where its weight will cause it to seat solidly on the chassis. After the body I6 has been lowered, the bucket I3 can be brought down by moving the handle 56 forwardly.

It will be understood from the foregoing that all the attendant has to do in order to dump the bucket I3 when the latter is filled, is to pull on the knob 15. When he does this the bucket will move up, the door I4 will open, and the bucket will turn upside down long enough to discharge its contents, then right itself and move down and come to rest in its loading position, all without requiring any attention, direction or guidance on the part of the attendant, who can in the meantime continue with the collection work.

Should the attendant for any reason want to stop the bucket while it is going up and bring it down again, he can do so by merely pulling out on a small handle I14 (see Fig. 5) at the rear end of the body, which handle is located on the end of the trip rod 91 used in reversing the bucket valve 44. Likewise, the attendant can stop the bucket at any place by simply swinging the bandle 56 into its neutral position.

After the body I6 has been loaded to capacity, the attendant may dump it, but not until after he has run the bucket up. because when the bucket is down the stop I63 functions as a safety device and prevents the handle 56 from being swung rearwardly into its body-hoisting position. Likewise, when the body is in its tilted position the attendant cannot run the bucket up or down because of the safety lock provided by the latching member II5.

As soon as the bucket I3 has been hooked up with the door I6 by means of the chain I56 and run up far enough to open the door, the handle 56 may be swung into its body-hoisting position. This will cause the body to tilt up and'dump. The body will thereafter remain in its dumping position until the attendant pushes on the knob I63, whereupon the body will descend. The chain I56 can then be disconnected and the door I6 locked shut by a movement of the handle I48 far enough to the rear to bring the hooks I44 and I41 back again into their latched dead-center positions.

While the bucket is in its lowered position it is kept from swinging on its trunnions 29 by stops I15 (see Fig. 4) on the ends of the bucket, which stops engage with the arms 22 in such a way as not to interfere with the bucket in turning over while dumping.

The attendant can tell when the body I6 is about filled and ready for dumping by noting the height of the contents through a glass panel I16 in the side of the body.

If desired the bucket l3 may be provided with a hinged cover (not shown) with laterally sliding panels to permit of ready filling, which cover may be hinged to the edge of the bucket in such a way as to swing down into open position when the bucket is being dumped, but a cover of this sort is not at all essential.

We claim:

1. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a body having an opening in the upper portion thereof, a bucket, means for elevating the bucket to the opening, a control member, means for causing the bucket upon actuation of the control member to automatically rise, dump its contentsinto the body through the opening, descend and come to rest, and another control member for stopping the bucket and causing it to descend at any point in the upward movement of the bucket.

2. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a body having openings in the upper and lower portions thereof, means for tilting the body to dump the contents through the lower opening, a bucket, means for elevating the bucket to the upper opening, and means for preventing the body-tilting means from being operated while the bucket is in its lowermost position.

3. In a self-loading vehicle of the character de scribed, a body having openings in the upper and lower portions thereof, means for tilting the body to dump the contents through the lower opening, a bucket, means for elevating the bucket to the upper opening, means for preventing the bodytilting means from being operated while the bucket is in its lowermost position, and means for preventing the bucket-moving means from being operated while the body is being tilted up.

4. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a tiltable body having an opening-in the upper portion thereof for loading and another opening in the lower portion thereof for dumping, a loading bucket, hydraulic means for both tilting up the body and elevating the bucket to the upper opening, and a control member for the hydraulic means operable to cause either the bucket to elevate while the body is not tilted or else the body to tilt while the bucket is elevated.

5. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a body having an opening in the upper portion thereof, a bucket at the rear end of the body, arms at the sides of the bucket for supporting the latter, curved guides for the arms on the body extending from the lower portion of the rear end of the body to the opening in the upper portion thereof, chains trained over sprockets adjacent the upper and lower ends of the guides, connections between the chains and the arms, and means for causing the chains to travel in one direction to elevate the bucket and in the opposite direction to lower the bucket.

6. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a body having an opening in the upper portion thereof, a hinged door for the opening provided with downwardly extending end flanges, a bucket at the rear end of the body, arms on which the bucket is supported, curved guides for the arms on the body extending from the lower portion of the rear end of the body to the opening in the upper portion thereof, means for moving the arms up and down along the guides, and means for causing the arms as they approach their uppermost positions to engage with the edges of the end flanges on the door and cam the latter open, whereby to permit the bucket to dump its contents into the body through the at the rear end opening while maintaining the ends of the inverted bucket covered by the end flanges on the door.

7. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a tiltable body having an opening in the upper portion thereof for loading and another opening in the lower portion thereof for dumping, a loading bucket at the rear end of the body. a shaft at the rear end of the body on which the same is hinged for tilting, sprockets on the ends of the shaft, other sprockets adjacent the opening in the upper portion of the body, chains trained over the sprockets, connections between the chains and the bucket for moving the latter up and down upon rotation of the shaft, and means for rotating the shaft in either direction.

8. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a tiltable body having an opening in the upper portion thereof for loading and another opening in the lower portion thereof for dumping, a loading bucket at the rear endof the body, a shaft at the rear end of the body on which the same is hinged for tilting, sprockets on the ends of the shaft, other sprockets adjacent the opening in the upper portion of the body, chains trained over the sprockets, connections between the chains and the bucket for moving the latter up and down upon rotation of the shaft, and means for rotating the shaft in either direction, a door for closing the lower opening in the body, and means for connecting the door to the bucket whereby to open the door by elevation of the bucket prior to the body being tilted into its dumping position.

9. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a tiltable body having an opening in the upper portion thereof for loading and another opening in the lower portion thereof for dumping, a loading bucket at the rear end of the body, a shaft at the rear end of the-body on whichthe same is hinged for tilting, sprockets on the ends of the shaft, other sprockets adjacent the opening in the upper portion of the body, chains trained over the sprockets, connections between the chains and the bucket for moving the latter up and down upon rotation of the shaft, and means for rotating the shaft in either direction, a normally latched door for closing the lower opening in the body, and means for connecting the door to the bucket whereby to open the door by ele: vation of the bucket prior to the body being tilted into its dumping position, the establishment of said connection serving to automatically unlatch the door.

10. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a body having an opening in'the upper portion thereof, a hinged door for the opening provided with downwardly extending cam-shaped end flanges, a bucket, guides for the bucket on the body extending from the lower portion of the body to the opening in the upper portion thereof, means for moving the bucket along the guides, and means movable with the bucket for engagement with the end flanges on the door to cam the latter open when the bucket approaches the opening, whereby to permit the bucket to dump its contents into the body through the opening while maintaining the ends of the inverted bucket covered by the end flanges on the door.

11. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a rearwardly sloping body having an opening in the upper portion thereof, a bucket of the body, arms at the sides of the bucket for supporting the latter, pivotal connections between the arms and the sides of the bucket above the center of gravity of the into an inverted latter, curved guides for the arms on the body extending from the lower portion of the rear end of thebodytotheopeningintheupperportion thereof, means for moving the arms up and down along the guides, means for tilting the bucket position in register with the opening when the bucket reaches its diachI-IKIDB c for limiting the extent to which the bucket can tilt in the opposite direction to an upright position of the bucket when the latter is in its loading position.

12. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a bodyhaving an opening in the upper portion thereof, a bucket, guides for the bmket on the body extending from the lower portion oi the body to the opening in the upper ortion thereof, chains trained over sprockets adjacent the upper and lower ends oi the guides, connections between the chains and the bucket, means for moving the chains, whereby to elevate or lower the bucket, and means for arresting the movement of one edge only oi the bucket as it approaches the opening in the body, whereby to cause the bucket to be inverted into dumping position in register with the opening, said last mentioned means consisting of an upwardly spring-pressed hook on the body.

18. In a self-loading vehicle of the character described, a tiltable body having an opening in the upper portion thereot for loading and another opening in the lower portion thereof for dumping, said tween the upper and lower openings and being provided with arcuate side vrails which are arranged with their upper and lower ends at opposite sida of said openings, a loading bucket at the rear end of the body, a shaft at the'rear end of the body on which the same is hinged for tilting, sprockets on'the ends of the shaft, other sprockets adjacent theopening in the upper portion of the body. chains trained over the sprockets, arcuate guides on which the chains are supported in uniformly spaced relation to the side rails, arms on the lmcket provided with rollers in engagement with theupper and lower surfaces of the side rails, links plvotally connected between the arms and the chains for moving'the bucket up and down upon rotation of the shaft, and means for rotating the shaft.

ELBERT C. LEACH. ERIC 0. HAMREN.

bodybelngarcuate in'shapebe-' 

